The Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) isn't exactly JFK or O'Hare. For years, if you lived in Monroe County, you basically accepted that flying anywhere meant a layover in Philadelphia, Detroit, or Baltimore. It was the "Rochester Tax." You either paid more to fly local or drove two hours to Buffalo or Toronto to save a couple hundred bucks.
But things are looking very different for 2026. If you haven't checked the departure board lately, you’re missing out on a massive shift in how we get out of Western New York.
Honestly, the biggest news isn't just about one new airline in rochester ny, but rather a complete musical chairs situation with the carriers we already have—plus some aggressive expansion from the budget guys. We just lost Spirit Airlines, which officially pulled the plug on January 7, 2026, following their bankruptcy mess. But before you get worried about losing those cheap seats to Florida, JetBlue and Allegiant have already swooped in to pick up the slack.
The Florida Feud: JetBlue vs. Everyone
The headline act for the first half of 2026 is JetBlue’s big return to the Rochester-to-Orlando (MCO) route. They haven't flown this nonstop since 2010. That is a long time to wait for a "hometown airline" to remember we exist.
Starting March 26, 2026, JetBlue is launching year-round, nonstop service to Orlando five times a week. They’re using Airbus A320s, which is a nice upgrade if you’re tired of the smaller regional jets.
- Flight 1042: Leaves Orlando at 11:50 a.m., lands in ROC at 2:37 p.m.
- Flight 1043: Leaves Rochester at 3:35 p.m., hits Orlando at 6:25 p.m.
It’s a direct response to Spirit leaving. Southwest is also ramping up, going to daily nonstop flights to Orlando starting this month. If you’re planning a Disney trip, you actually have more options now than you did when Spirit was here.
Allegiant and Breeze Are Chasing the Sun
While JetBlue focuses on MCO, Allegiant Air is doubling down on the Gulf Coast. They just announced a brand-new route to Sarasota-Bradenton (SRQ) that starts February 13, 2026. It's a seasonal play, running through May, with flights on Mondays and Fridays.
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Then you have Breeze Airways. They’ve been the "quiet" new airline in rochester ny for a bit, but they just added a nonstop to Fort Myers (RSW) on January 8, 2026. If you want the beach without the theme park crowds, Breeze is basically the go-to right now.
Avelo: The Under-the-Radar Powerhouse
If you haven't flown Avelo yet, you're probably overlooking the most interesting growth at ROC. They aren't trying to compete with Delta or United on business routes. Instead, they are connecting Rochester to places we used to have to drive hours to reach.
They just expanded their Nashville (BNA) and Wilmington, NC (ILM) service. People in Rochester love the Outer Banks and the Carolina coast, but the drive is a brutal 11 to 13 hours. Avelo doing twice-weekly flights to Wilmington (Mondays and Fridays) completely changes that weekend-trip math.
They also fly into Lakeland (LAL) instead of Orlando International. It’s about 40 minutes away from the main parks, but the airport is the size of a Target. You land, walk 50 feet to your rental car, and you're gone. For anyone who hates the chaos of MCO, this is the "pro move" for 2026.
Why This Matters: The Leakage Problem
You've probably heard local politicians like County Executive Adam Bello or Senator Jeremy Cooney talk about "leakage." It sounds like a plumbing issue, but it’s actually about us.
Every year, roughly 150,000 people from the Rochester area drive to Buffalo or Syracuse to catch a flight. When we do that, the big airlines look at their data and say, "Oh, I guess nobody in Rochester wants to fly to Denver or Dallas."
By supporting these new routes—even the budget ones—we’re proving there is a market here. The more we fly out of ROC, the better the chance we get those elusive West Coast nonstops.
What to Watch Out For
Budget airlines are great, but they play by different rules. Avelo and Allegiant often fly out of the "wrong" airports (like Concord instead of Charlotte Douglas). If you book Avelo to Charlotte, you're landing at Concord-Padgett. It’s closer to the NASCAR shops than it is to uptown Charlotte. Always check your rental car location before you hit "purchase."
Also, remember that many of these "new" routes are twice-weekly. If your flight gets canceled on a Friday, the next one might not be until Monday. That’s the trade-off for a $59 fare.
How to Handle Your 2026 Travel from ROC
If you're looking to take advantage of the new airline landscape in Rochester, don't just default to Expedia.
- Check the Avelo/Allegiant sites directly. Their flights often don't show up on the big search engines.
- Watch the JetBlue launch dates. March 26 is the magic day for Orlando. Prices will be low for the first few weeks to grab market share from Southwest.
- Think about Lakeland (LAL). If you're heading to Central Florida, Avelo's Lakeland route is often cheaper and significantly less stressful than MCO.
- Book the Sarasota route early. Allegiant’s SRQ flights are seasonal and only run through May. They will fill up fast with snowbirds.
The era of Rochester being a "secondary" airport is slowly fading. With JetBlue back in the Florida game and Avelo connecting us to the South, 2026 is looking like the easiest year to fly local in a decade.